New Release: I Need A Hero (Men in Uniform #0.5) by Codi Gary

Sergeant Oliver Martinez joined
the military to serve his country—not plan parties. But after a run-in
with his commanding officer, Oliver is suddenly responsible for the
Alpha Dogs Training Program’s upcoming charity event. Worse, he’s got
to work with the bossiest, sexiest woman he’s ever met—who just happens
to be the general’s daughter.

When it comes to military men, Evelyn Reynolds is not interested. And
with the opportunity to launch her new PR firm at the charity event,
she doesn’t have time for some sexy, arrogant jerk with a hero complex.
Evelyn is determined to keep things professional—if only she can ignore
how Oliver’s muscles fill out a t-shirt and the infuriating way he
makes her heart pound.

But when tempers flare and a scorching kiss turns into so much more,
Oliver and Evelyn will have to decide if this attraction is forever…or
just for now.

Excerpt
Oliver Martinez sat stiffly in the
wobbly office chair, the room stifling despite the hum of the air
conditioner above his head. He wasn’t usually the nervous type, being
that military police didn’t allow time for panic, but facing off
against General Reynolds, the man who pretty much held his career in
the palm of his hand . . .
Well, he figured he had a right to sweat
with the way the older man was staring him down.
“What do you have to say for yourself,
Sergeant?” General Reynolds asked.
A thousand excuses ran through his mind,
but none of them would appease the general, Oliver knew that. He hadn’t
become an MP to be liked; even his family knew he wasn’t a people
person. He was hardworking, sharp as a tack, and a mean son of a bitch
when you got on his bad side—qualities that made him an excellent MP.
And military police was exactly where Oliver belonged. He got to bust
heads and keep order; it was structured, and there were rules. He was
the good guy.
But this time, he had stepped in a big
old pile of shit trying to play the hero.
“I did what I thought was right, sir,”
Oliver said.
“You instigated a confrontation with a
civilian that turned into an all-out bar brawl,” General Reynolds said.
Although his tone and outward expression seemed calm, Oliver hadn’t
missed the eye twitch on the left side of the general’s face. The man
was beyond furious, and nothing Oliver did or said was going to make
things better for him.
Why had he decided to go out with the
guys on Friday? His buddies from group therapy, Dean Sparks and Tyler
Best, had convinced him that he needed to get out and blow off some
steam. He hadn’t expected to take down some rowdy kid or have the cops
called on them. The civilian police had been cool, though, once he
explained the situation, and as they hauled the kid off for drunk and
disorderly, he’d thought that was the end of it.
Until he’d shown up for work this
morning only to have Tate tell him he wasn’t on rotation and that the
general wanted to see him. Oliver hadn’t had any idea what the meeting
was about, but he’d never expected to get his ass chewed over something
that wasn’t even his fault.
“It wasn’t a brawl, sir. I contained and
subdued him too fast for that.”
Oliver regretted his words the moment
they left his mouth. They sounded arrogant, and that wasn’t going to
score him any points.
Especially since the civilian in
question was the general’s son.
Despite knowing this, Oliver tried again
to explain his side. “I just mean, and with all due respect, sir, that
the civilian was drunk and harassing several women, and when I politely
asked him to leave them alone, he threw the first punch.”
General Reynolds’s salt and pepper
mustache twitched, and Oliver wondered for half a second if the general
was messing with him and if he was secretly amused that his son had
been taught a lesson in respect.
“I don’t care if he threw a hundred
punches. You should not have engaged. You did not have to break his
nose or sprain his wrist while you were restraining him.”
Okay, so he wasn’t amused. But no matter
how angry the general might be, Oliver wasn’t going to apologize for
roughing up the little punk. The kid had thrown a sucker punch that had
lit fire to Oliver’s jaw, and it was still sore. And if the kid hadn’t
fought him so damn hard, he wouldn’t have gotten hurt in the first
place.
Would he have handled things differently
if he’d known who the kid’s dad was? Maybe. But there was nothing
Oliver could do about it now except take whatever punishment was meted
out to him.
“It seems to me you could use a little
time out of the field to learn how to channel your aggression . . . in
other ways,” General Reynolds said.
Now the general was smiling, and unease
swept over Oliver.
“Have you heard of the Alpha Dog
Training Program?” General Reynolds asked.
“Yeah, I know a few of the guys running
things,” Oliver said.
And neither Best nor Sparks had been
happy about it at first. The Alpha Dog Training Program was the
brainchild of some PR expert hoping to create a good public image for
the military by training shelter dogs for specialty jobs like military,
fire, police, search and rescue, and therapy. And if the
animals-getting-a-second-chance angle didn’t just make you weepy, the
dogs were being trained by troubled kids under the supervision of MPs.
It was meant as an alternative
punishment for nonviolent juvenile offenders. Instead of being locked
up in a detention center with months of community service tacked on
top, they were sent to Alpha Dog. They shoveled shit, fed and cared for
the dogs, and learned how to teach them basic obedience. The place was
set up with barracks for up to twenty-five kids at a time. The goal was
to give them a skill and refocus their energies. The program even
helped them with job placement at several Sacramento veterinary
hospitals and rescue organizations. It was a better deal than most kids
in the system got.
“Well, I’m glad you’re familiar with it,
because you’re going to help organize and promote their upcoming
charity event,” General Reynolds said.
Oliver choked in surprise. “I don’t know
anything about fundraising!”
The general’s eyes narrowed and
glittered. “Well, this will give you a chance to develop a new skill.”
Oliver just sat there, weighing his
options. If he pitched a fit and accused the general of abusing his
power because Oliver had hurt his son’s delicate feelings, he’d be
committing career suicide.
“How long will I be out of the field,
sir?” he asked.
“Until I think you’re ready,” General
Reynolds said.
Oliver nodded grimly. The only option
open to him was to bite the bullet and do the job.
“You’ll report to the Alpha Dog Training
Program today. The event coordinator will be there at eleven to give
you instructions on what you’ll be doing. I do hope you take this time
to learn some discipline, Sergeant Martinez.”
Fuck you.
Taking a deep breath, Oliver stood up
and saluted the general. As soon as he barked, “Dismissed,” Oliver was
out the door, wishing he was headed home to beat the hell out of his
punching bag. This whole morning had sucked donkey nuts, and the last
thing Oliver wanted to do was be around a bunch of teenagers or his
friends.
Not that Best and Sparks weren’t good
people, but he knew that the minute they found out about his little
time-out, they were going to laugh it up.
Especially Best.

An obsessive bookworm, CODI GARY likes to write
sexy small-town contemporary romances with humor, grand gestures, and
blush-worthy moments. When she’s not writing, she can be found reading
her favorite authors, squealing over her must-watch shows, and playing
with her children. She lives in Idaho with her family.

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About Me

I love all things beauty and makeup, reading and books, and also have a keen interest in cooking and food. Combined with a husband who loves wine, we write a number of blogs that align with our interests. I have two blogs: Deanna's World which focuses on all things books and beauty, and Daz In The Kitchen which is my cooking and food blog. I hope you visit and stay around.

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